Founded at the fork of two wilderness rivers, Fort Des Moines (which narrowly escaped being named Fort Raccoon) was a temporary garrison of dragoons to keep the peace between Native Americans and settlers until the area could be organized into a territory. After the soldiers left in 1845, pioneers and squatters moved into the abandoned cabins of the stockade, and the city of Des Moines was born. Its central location between the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers made it a natural center of provisioning and commerce for travelers heading west, and the city grew large enough to become Iowa's state capital in 1857. With the city consistently ranked in the top ten best places to live and work, the residents of Des Moines enjoy a quality of life that is the envy of most. This collection of images provides a look back to the historical roots that made the city what it is today.

The city of Des Moines experienced a rebirth at the beginning of the 20th century. The City Beautiful movement focused on cleaning up the city, starting with a new civic center along the Des Moines River. A progressive wave in city politics organized the Des Moines plan of commission government. Modern streetcars traveled along recently paved roads and newly constructed bridges, while electric lights kept the streets safe at night. The city motto said it all: Des Moines Does Things. This postcard collection showcases the best the city had to offer during that time, as the city changed and prospered, becoming the "City of Certainties," through challenges during both world wars, and beyond into the postwar boom, when Des Moines became the crossroads of the nation.

A report on a period in the history of Des Moines that saw a population growth from 22,500 to 125,000 people, new forms of public transportation, suburban expansion and local government reforms. Six associated historic contexts covering the years from 1880 to 1920 are examined in detail in the original report: streetcars and interurbans; laissez faire and suburban development; the annexation movement and municipal government; the towns of Capital Park, Greenwood Park, Sevastopol and University Place; and the city of North Des Moines. A 1997 amendment to the report provides 3 additional historic contexts covering the period from 1880-1937: North Des Moines; Prospect Park; and architectural resources of North Des Moines.